Every day thousands of car accidents occur in the United States. Tennessee is certainly not exempt from this issue. The unfortunate reality is that everyone who drives is susceptible to getting into a collision at some point in their life. Even the most cautious drivers can find themselves involved in a wreck with a more careless person. This makes understanding how to properly handle a car accident essential.
Evaluate the Health of Everyone
Car accidents have the potential to be extremely dangerous. Before you move on to assessing the damage caused by the collision, it is important first to ensure that everyone involved is safe. It may be difficult to see through your initial frustration, but health must be your top concern.
There is a wide variety of injuries that someone involved in an accident can suffer. This can range from a minor laceration to a traumatic brain injury and include everything in between. If you encounter a dire situation in which someone is severely hurt, contact the proper authorities immediately. The damage to your vehicle is trivial when the life of another person is on the line.
Call the Police to the Scene
Notifying the police about the situation is a crucial step to take following an accident. The police will prove to be an excellent resource for you. An officer will arrive at the scene and immediately begin collecting information about the collision. He or she will then fill out an accident report that provides an accurate account of what occurred. This is invaluable information for when you contact your insurance provider or if there is a dispute regarding what happened.
Do what you can to assist the police. Provide as much information as you can remember about the accident. It is important to cooperate and speak truthfully, but admitting fault or blaming another driver is not advisable. This is a matter that the officer will determine objectively based on the facts provided.
Make an Organized Record
The police will provide an objective account of what occurred in their report, but it certainly does not hurt to make an organized record of your own as well. Every piece of information down to the very last detail could prove useful when it comes time to contact your insurance provider. You should include pertinent information about everyone involved as well as a written description of any damages.
Photos can prove to be helpful as well. If you have access to a camera, take pictures of every vehicle involved as well as the surrounding area. Additionally, if there were any witnesses to the event, ask them to state what they saw. Simply put, your goal is to collect as much information as possible to paint the best possible picture of the incident for someone who did not see it.